Alphabet: S&P Global Impressed With Tuesday’s Hardware Offerings

By Tiernan Ray

Google’s Pixel smartphone, unveiled October 4th, 2016, at a press conference in San Francisco, has features such as an “intelligent assistant.”

Google Inc.

It’s been quiet this afternoon following Alphabet’s (GOOGL) Google unit’s media event in San Francisco, where the company unveiled a raft of new devices, including two models of “Pixel” smartphone, the first it says ever designed with total control of software and hardware by Google; a new wireless home router; a consumer appliance, “Google Home”; a new version of its “Chromecast” streaming media appliance; the formal unveiling of its “Daydream” virtual reality headset; and new cloud computing offerings to accompany these devices.

GOOGL announces multiple new hardware products. The Pixel is the first phone with Google Assistant built in, and features “the best smartphone camera ever” for $649. Google Home is a voice-activated speaker powered by the Google Assistant. Chromecast Ultra and Google Wifi enables/promotes greater connectivity. The Daydream View headset and controller enables users to explore virtual reality with a smartphone. We think this is an impressive stable of new products that underscores GOOGL’s focus on innovation, but wonder about the pricing for the Pixel in a very competitive market.

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OCTOBER 4, 2016 6:49 P.M.

Anonymous wrote:

$650 is ALOT of money for that phone. Same as an iphone or samsung 7 . The question is:
For those with a short memory, Google has been in this business before (ahem -- Motorola (Moto) and sold it off.
Then Lenovo picked it up and has destroyed any value the brand had.
Will Google have the patience to do it right this time?

About Tech Trader Daily

Tech Trader Daily is a blog on technology investing written by Barron’s veteran Tiernan Ray. The blog provides news, analysis and original reporting on events important to investors in software, hardware, the Internet, telecommunications and related fields. Comments and tips can be sent to: techtraderdaily@barrons.com.